Karun Nair reveals how the downtime in England helped him fine-tune his batting skills

Nair didn’t get a chance to play a single game during India’s recently concluded UK tour.

Karun Nair, who has a Test triple ton to his name, didn’t get a chance to play a single game during India’s recently concluded UK tour.

This is not the first time Nair has been overlooked by the team management. Even after scoring a triple hundred against England at Chepauk in 2016, Nair was 'dropped' for the following one-off Test against Bangladesh.

The right-hander is now back home batting alongside the likes of Mayank Agarwal and Stuart Binny for Karnataka in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Reflecting on the England tour, Nair, in an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda said that the downtime in the UK helped him to tune up his batting skills.

"I have been working hard on my fitness. I had a lot of time off and didn't play any game in the United Kingdom. I had a lot of time to think about my game and work on it," he quoted.

Nair will lead India Board President's XI against the touring Windies side in a two-day practice game in Vadodara, commencing from September 29.

Talking about his off-season training regimen, the 26-year-old said: "The training off-season is a lot more intense. During the season you play a lot of cricket. We cut down on the training, but I make sure I do a little bit of training every day. I don't miss any sessions because it makes me feel good. I am keeping my diet very simple."

For someone whose fitness regimen is completed by 7 am, Nair isn't a firm believer of rigorous schedules. Nonetheless, he admires the way Indian captain Virat Kohli has lifted the fitness standards across seasons now.

"Virat Kohli has aced the fitness scene. He has been so disciplined over so many years, to put your mind to something and actually go out there and achieve it, he has been brilliant. He's an inspiration to everyone in the team and all the youngsters. If there is anyone who should be emulated in terms of cricket and fitness it is probably Kohli right now," Nair concluded.